Car-coupling



(No Model.)

' G. LIGHTHISERY.

No. 284,644. I

OAR COUPLING.

Patented Sept. 11, 11883. I

E F i V x E I VdXWQ L UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE LIGHTHISER, OF NAPOLEON, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,644, datedSeptember 11, 1883. Application filed February 17, 1883. (N 0 model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE LIGHTHISER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Napoleon, in the county of Henry and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Car- Coupling, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.- a

This invention relates to cal-couplings; and it consists in certainimprovements in the construction of the same, which will be hereinafterfully'described, and particularly pointed out in the claim. I

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2is a bottom view of my improved car-coupling. Fig. 3 is a longitudinalsectional view. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 5 is ahorizontal sectional view, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustratingmy invention applied to serve as a gate-latch.

The same letters refer to the same parts in .all the figures.

A in the drawings represents the draw-head, which is-p'rovided with thelongitudinal mouth B, at the sides of which recesses O O are formed. Thesaid recesses have bearings in their upper and lower sides for thevertical pins or shafts D D, upon which wings or tongues E E aresecured, as shown. The sides of these wings which face the front end ofthe mouth B are beveled or inclined, and their rear sides are square, asshown. The front ends of the wings E bear against the outer sides of therecesses O O, and they are thereby prevented from spreading or swingingoutwardly. The rear ends of the wings may swing outwardly when forced inthis directionby the couplinglin'k, as will be presently described. The

lower ends of the'pins or shafts D D extend through the bottom of thedraw-head, and upon them are secured toothed segments F F, e11- gagingeach other, as shown. G is a spring secured to the under side of thedraw-head in front of one of the said toothed segments, extending aroundthe same, and pressing or bearing against its rear side. The shafts arethereby turned forwardly, and the wings E E held in the proper positionfor operation. One of the shafts D extends upwardly through thedraw-head, forming an operating-rod, H, by means of which the device maybe manipulated in uncoupling.

I is the coupling-link, which consists simply of a cylindrical rodhaving pointed or arrow heads J at each end, as shown.

The operation of this invention will be readily understood from theforegoing description, taken in connection with the drawings heretoannexed. \Vhen the coupling-link enters the draw-head, it spreads thewings E E, between which it enters, and which are closed together infront of the head by the action of the spring G. Touncouple, the wingsmay be separated by simply turning the operating rod, either directly orby. any suitable mechanism. By means of the toothed segments the shaftsD D are then turned in opposite directions, thus separating the wingsand enabling the coup ling-link to slide out.

My'invention may be made available for other purposes than acarcouplingfor' instance, as alock or latch for gates, barn-doors, andthe like. In Fig. 6 of the drawings I have thus shown it applied as agate-latch, the part designated as the draw-head being secured to thegate-post, and the gate being provided with an arrow-headed pin, or viceversa. This makes a strong, convenient, and inexpensive gate-latch.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States- The combination of the draw-head A,hav ing mouth B and recesses O O, wings E, shafts I), having segmentalgears F F, arranged under the draw-head, and the curved spring G,

secured in front of one of said segments, extending around the same, andbearing against its rear side, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE LIGHTHISER.

Witnesses MICHAEL DONNELLY, SAMUEL Bosr.

